DES MOINES, Iowa (CNN) - One day after a pro-Mike Huckabee group's 'push polling' efforts were brought to light here in Iowa, fellow Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney is calling for an investigation into their tactics.

In a statement Tuesday, Romney's campaign asked Iowa attorney general Tom Miller to open an investigation of the "allegedly illegal conduct" by Common Sense Issues, a group that launched a series of automated phone calls that target the former Arkansas governor's rivals but praise Huckabee himself.

Romney communications director Matt Rhoades wrote that "relying on the resources of an out-of-state soft money organization to run your ground game is awful politics and voters are right to be annoyed by this kind of conduct.”

Huckabee has denounced the tactics and urged the group to stop the calls.

He told CNN Tuesday that the efforts are hurting him, adding that the calls are "not in the spirit of the kind of campaign that I'm running or want to run."

"If people want to promote our campaign that’s certainly their business, but I hope they wouldn’t tear down other candidates because that’s not what we're about,” said Huckabee.

He urged the group to stop the calls, but added that he cannot legally contact them himself due to federal law, which prohibits contact between presidential candidates and independent groups advocating on their behalf.

Calls made to the office of the attorney general were not immediately returned.

Huckabee is an air head, a talker (being a past preacher) without economic/law substance. Look at his past records: raised taxes, subsidised illegals, etc. He is a fool to propose to get rid of the IRS, as he will not and cannot.

I wonder if some of these push pollers are those same God fearing good Christian conservatives that we can rely on to be hoset, fair and ethical?
Their true colors aren't as pearly white as we might have once thought. Well, I for one am shocked!

Romney better keep his thoughts on his own campaign! Thinking of Hucks wrongs and not admitting your own POLL mistakes ( such as rigging the straw polls in florida ( youtube.com/romneyflorida).

This man had a bus of people bussed in to vote for him in the straw polls, it was caught on camera, that his supporters were casting 10-80 votes A PIECE! WHAT IS THIS MITT? or can you not control who works for you, LIKE YOUR LAWN SERVICE?